Warden wins $510,000 verdict
Contributed by
Cromer and Mabry

A Federal jury late Friday evening returned a $510, 000 verdict in favor of Calvin Anthony, a former warden of one of the state's largest and top security prisons (Lee Correctional Institution) against the agency's No. 2 administrator Robert Ward and its former Inspector General, Charles Sheppard. Anthony resides in Sumter.

Ward and Sheppard were charged with a civil conspiracy to have Anthony removed for personal reasons and as part of an agenda to target certain individuals for punishment. Anthony, the department's Warden of the Year in 2002, was denied access to the retirement incentive program after 26 years of excellent service with the department and was forced to leave his wardenship at Lee in June 2004.

Anthony was one of three African- American wardens at Level III prisons. Rickie Harrison, another warden, was also removed by Ward from his position at Kershaw Correctional Institution. Harrison sued Ward and Sheppard and his case was settled.

The 12 person jury declined to find race discrimination in this case but determined that Ward and Sheppard were guilty of the charges made by Warden Anthony. The case took two weeks to try before U.S. District Judge Margaret B. Seymour.

On the last day of trial, Director Jon Ozmint tried to justify the actions taken by Ward and Sheppard but admitted that it was their reports and information upon which he relied. Ozmint was not named personally in the lawsuit.

"I am grateful to the jury for their vindication of one of the finest corrections wardens to have ever served our state. After a quarter century of flawless service he was treated disgracefully and in a callous manner because he refused to falsify reports or take certain actions demanded by his bosses." J. Lewis Cromer, Anthony's attorney, said. "It is a pleasure to represent a person with Warden Anthony's character and integrity. It is also a tribute to our system of trial by jury that 12 persons took two weeks out of their lives to hear this case and render a fair and true verdict."